Only a Shadow
by Jane Glass
Summary: In the dark of night when it's hard to distinguish shadows from real things, one can easily be scared, but no one would expect Ben Tennyson, the world's secret super hero, to get scared in such a way.


**Only a Shadow **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 or the characters. **

**A.N.: This short story takes place around the original series of Ben 10, though I fear the characters are slightly off.**

**Rated: K **

**Warning(s): Slight spoils, childish name calling.**

Ben Tennyson is a normal boy to most people, he even looks normal, unless he's an alien, but then he's Wildmutt, Four Arms, or Heatblast. No one knows how strange Ben Tennyson really is, save Max, his grandfather, Gwen, his cousin, and several of his enemies including Kevin E. Levin. His parents didn't know, his classmates didn't know…if he had to make a list of people who didn't know that he was a super hero, then it'd likely be as long as three-hundred pages, but if the said list consisted of everyone, including other people whom he doesn't know, then it would be impossibly long.

Now, though, as Ben lay in bed sleeping, you wouldn't even imagine that he was out of the ordinary in any way. Then again, even people who do know that he can transform to aliens must have trouble believing that a ten-year-old boy can transform to something like Four Arms. "No…no…I'll stop you…." Ben mumbles in his sleep, turning on his side and then turning back onto his other side. After a moment he sat up abruptly, gasping before looking around quickly.

And while looking around, something…or someone caught his attention…someone was standing by the door of the Rust-Bucket. He started moving back more in panic, but then fell off the top bunk with a thud. Ben probably should have screamed or shouted or something…maybe he should attack the intruder like he normally would? Ben couldn't though…he was caught off guard by Vilgax, and now he was going to get it….

"Ben?" He heard Gwen ask, making him jump slightly, then he turned to see her sitting up on the lower bunk. He could barely see her since the only light was from the moon outside, but he could tell that she looked confused. He shakily pointed at the shadowy man who was no doubt Vilgax. "What is it?" Gwen asks, glancing at the man and then back at Ben. Was she kidding? Did she not see him? "Someone…" Ben says quietly, unable to finish his sentence.

"Ha, ha, ha…Ben," Gwen says while standing. Ben watches with shock as she walks over the shadowy person and then reaches towards him with her hand…. "It's grandpa's coat, see?" Gwen says while lifting what must have been his coat. Ben, shocked, walks over and takes it from her. "It was standing…" He mumbles uncertainly. "No," Gwen says while shaking her head. "It only looked like it was standing because it was hanging from the bench."

Ben slowly put it back where she said it had been hanging on the back of the bench of the table they usually sat at, but it still didn't look like what he had seen. "It had looked just like Vilgax…" He says under his breath, unable to figure it out. "Because of the hat…" Gwen says while putting Max's fishing hat on top of the coat's neck. Now, with the coat like it was and the round toped fishing hat on top so you can't see the collar of the coat or the rim of the hat, it looked almost just like Vilgax, in shape, but Ben didn't see him now: he just saw Max's coat and hat.

"It had looked just like him." Ben says, walking back to the bunks and sitting down. "It was just a shadow…. Did you get scared like this at home, too, dweeb?" She says after a moment, smirking, but her voice didn't fit with the insult. "Hmm, 'too' as in…you're scared? No, I don't get scared, but I'll be sure to tell grandpa to get you a teddy bear." Ben says smiling. It was funny how easily fears could leave when you were talking and having fun. However, it might be that there isn't anything to be afraid of…yet. Vilgax was still out there, Ben knew that much, but for now it was just a shadow.

**It's funny how just the word 'shadow' gave me this short story…. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this!**


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